Air-conditioning apparatus



Jan. 25,` 1949. w. l... 'FLEISHER 2,459,802

AIR-CONDITIONIG APPARATUS 4 Filed Nov., 6, l944 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR Patented Jan. 25, 1949 UN [TED S TAT ES`I PAT-"E O F FICE2,459,802 AIR-CONDITIONING APPARATUS Walter L. Fleisher, New City, N. Y.Application November 6, 19.44 Serial. No.. 562,190

1 This invention relates to air-conditioning apparatus and more.especially to capillary cells of thetype-illustrated in applicants U. S.Patent No.

In commercial embodiments of the capillary cel-I'i-llustrated in saidPatent No. 2,139,675, the layer of transversely arranged glass 'fibersat the entrance end of the cell is arranged on the inner side ofk theprotective screen rather than on the outer side. as shown in the patent.Rough handling, carelessness in shipping, hosing with steam or water ordrastic. cleaning all have a tendency to break down the structure of thecommercialized. capillary cell. The 'main diiiiculty arises frommovement of the capill'arybers awayfroin the sides or thecasing allowingair and Water to by-pass the contact'ingstrands or from movement of thecapillary fibers toward the side of .the casing creating voids in thecenter section of the cell. While the transverse layers ofcapillaryiibersat the entrance to and exit from the cell tend to maintain uniformspacing of the fibers byV opposing the above referred-to movementof thefibers, such layers are so thin that the points of the glass strandsprojecting through the topand bottom layer are not held eiciently duemore particularly to the top layer sagging in the middle. Also, cleaningof fluff or lint or the like collected onthe outer surface of thetransverse layers often resulted in breakage of .the ends of thelongitudinal strands, thereby destroying whatever support the transverselayer might have given.

An -object of this invention is a capillary cell `of the type abovediscussed which overcomesthe disadvantages above referred to andprovides efcient stabilization ofthe-capillary threads not only when theglass fibers are of their initial length but .also in the event thatthey become materially shorter than original-ly for any reason.

A further object is a capillary cell of the type above referred to ofsuch arrangement that lint and the like collected at the entrance end ofthe cell may be removed therefrom with little or no damage to thecapillary threads.

According to this invention, the capillary cell is provided with astabilizing screen at its entrance as well as at its exit. Each screenis spaced inwardly from an extremity of the cell casing and eachaperture of a screen receives a small group of capillary threads. Thesescreens effect proper spacing of the main capillary threads and retainthe spacing uniform throughout the life of the cell. Means are providedwhereby the screen may be adjusted inwardly to compensate *rangedvbetween thetwo flanges IfI.

4 Claims. (Cl. 18S-45)l for any ,reduction in the, length of the fiberswhich may develop from use of the cell or cleaning thereof. The screenatthe entrance end also servesv to collect lint land ui and byk removal ofthe screen; the ycollected material may also be re,- movecl withoutdamage to the ends of the capillary fibers.

Other objects, novelfeatures and advantages of 'this invention willbecome apparent from the following specification and accompanyingdrawings, wherein :j

Fig.`1 is a fragmentary, perspective View,` parltially broken away, ofva capillary cell embodying the invention;v

Fig. 2, is a perspective view on a, smaller scale of the coriiplete,lcell;V Fig. Sis a` fragmentary, vertical section or the cell,A and l fFig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2. illustrating a modication.

As. shown in Fig. i,they capillary cell is contained within a-basketorcasing III having openings atits upper and lowerextremities to providefor the passage of air and liquid through vthe basket. The casi-ng. H)is-provided with inwarclly directedanges I I lateacli extremity and acoarse grid I2 engagesthe outer surface of each flange II. A frameIi3-:ts `over each extremity ofthe casing I0 to retain'the grid I2.inengagement with the ange I I and the frame I3 ris held in place byfrictiona1 engagementV with the casing llly or by any suitable fasteningmeans.

A mass or body of oriented capillary threads I4 such,4 forl example,as;v glass-bers, is arranged in the casing lll with` thev rlbersrunningparallel to the side walls of the casing and the ends of thecapillary threads at v'each extremity of the casing extendingbeyond theplane of the ilange H 'except for those capillary threads which are ar-Lacings l5 extend throughythe capillarythreadsbetween the grids I2 inthe manner set forth in applicants U. S. Patent No. 2,139,675.

A wire mesh screen I6 engages the inner surface of each ilange I I andis held in place by any suitable means, (not shown). Each aperture ofeach screen I6 receives a small group of capillary threads I4, the endsof which project beyond the outer surface of the screen I6 suicientlyfor the screen I6 to have a stabilizing eil'ect on the fibers. Adjacentthe inner surface of each screen I6 is arranged a layer of capillarythreads I1 similar to the threads Ill, the threads I'1 being arranged inaplane at right angles to the threads Il.

The arrangement just described and illustrated inFigs. 1 to 3 is thearrangement embodied in a new capillary cell. The arrangementillustrated in Fig. 4 and subsequently to be described is thearrangement embodied in a used capillary cell in which the length of thethreads I4 has been reduced by breakage of the ends incident to the useand cleaning of the cell.

The structure of Fig. 4 is the same as that of Fig. 3 except forthe factthat the entrance screen I6 is spacedinwardly from the flange I I an-dcorresponding layer of capillary threads I'I is moved inwardlycorrespondingly. A bracket I8 mounted on the flange I I is suitablyattached to the screen I6 and spaces said screen inwardly from theflange II.

For commercial considerations, the cell is so constructed that thecasing I is square in crosssection and measures 20" on each side withthe cell being from 8 to 9 deep. A 2" spacing has been foundsatisfactory for the intersecting members of. the grid I2 and in thecell structure herein disclosed the screen I6 preferably is of 1Aspacing. The screen I6 of deflniteaperture added to the top and bottomthin transverse layers of capillary threads I'1 and thelacings` I5present a very substantial and easily handled capillary cell in whichmovement of the capillary threads I4 from their original and correctpositionsV is substantially prevented. The apertures, in the screen I6though only 1A" are widely enough separated Y.so that there appears fromexperimental data to be no increase in the static resistance through thecells. Also, the'screens collect thelint and fluff previouslycollectedby the transverse capillary fibers I1 and thus protect the, transversefibers and reduce the possibility of. `breakage of ends of the fibers I4in cleaningthe cell. The top ofthe cell can now y)ce brushedvoifY with aystiff brush either by hand `or"automatically without in any wayaffecting the main structure of the cell. Another improvement inconjunction with this type ofscreenyis thatif'4 nozzles or sprayerssupplying water or other liquids to the cells should cease to functionproperly and project streams of water rather than sprays` at the face ofthe cell, the screen I6 will break the stream into smaller parts and nothick stream of water or liquid can strike the glass bersto boreholes orbreakv down the structureof the cell itself. Consequently,y it ispossible to use some'water at higher pressures if essential,particularlyA when the cells are used for dehumidifying purposes. In theevent that it is necessary to remove the screen I6 at either end for anypurpose, it can be cleaned and pressed back on the strands I4 to take upa relatively similar position as before. Since: the cell is of the sameconstruction at either extremity, either v stabilizing screen 'or bothcan be removed or the cell can be reversed in its position of use if itis found desirable to do so either tov obtain a longer lip or greateroperating emciency.

f I claim:

1. A capillary cell designed to have air and water pass through it in avertical direction and comprising a. tubular casing, a coarse grid ateach extremity of said casing, a plurality of vertical capillary threadsin said casing substantially parallel with the sides thereof and to thedirection of the flow of air and Water through the cell, and a smallapertured stabilizing screen adjacent to but spaced inwardly from theupper and lower ends of the casing, each small aperture of said screenreceiving the ends of a group of said capillary threads at the top andbottom of the casing and maintaining the threads in a vertical positionand in a predetermined relation to the direction of the flow of air andwater through the cell and spacing the individual groups of verticalcapillary threads from one another.

2. A capillary cell designed to have air and Water pass throughit in avertical direction and comprising a tubular casing, a coarse grid ateach extremity of sai-d casing, a plurality of vertical capillarylthreads in said casing substantially parallel with the sides thereofand to thedirection ofthe flow of air and water through'the cell, asmall apertured stabilizing screen adjacent to but spaced inwardlyfromthe upper and lower ends of the casing, eachsmall aperture of saidscreen receiving the' ends of a group of said capillary threads at thetop and bottom of thecasing and maintaining the threads in a verticalposition and in a predeterminedrelation to the direction of the flow vofair andwater through the cell and spacing the individual groups ofvertical capillary threads from one anotherand means for varying theposition of the upper relatively small screen relative tothe top of thecasing.

3. A capillary cell according to claim 1, cha-racterized by a transverselayer of capillary threads adjacent the inner surface of each screen.

4. A capillary cell according to claim 2, characterized by a transverselayer of capillary threads adjacent the inner surface of each screen.

WALTER L. FLEISI-IER.

REFERENCES' CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

